Yasser El-Fadni
The Collapse of the Wall of Immunity
The past years were nothing more than a space in which Abu Dhabi felt assured of being above accountability, believing that the network of alliances and deals it wove, both openly and behind the scenes, would guarantee it diplomatic immunity shielding it from any international storm. Yet, accumulating events now reveal that this illusory immunity is beginning to crack, and a growing campaign of political, media, and legal pressure is forming around the so-called “State of Evil,” after years in which it believed itself beyond punishment.
Recent moves in the European Union reflect, for the first time, a tangible willingness to link trade privileges to Abu Dhabi’s regional behavior. The reconsideration of the trade agreement, in light of reports about arms transfers to militias in Sudan, is not merely a procedural step but a signal that the previous diplomatic cover is receding. It is no longer possible to ignore the destabilizing role in the Sudanese conflict, nor to continue normal trade dealings with a party increasingly accused of supporting a militia that undermines the stability of an entire country.
At the same time, developments on the ground inside Sudan are unfolding. Sources from Al-Tina, on the border with Chad, report a reality that underscores the isolation of the UAE-backed militias, with truck traffic blocked from entering their territories for the third consecutive week. These developments are not trivial details; they indicate that the supply and influence lines Abu Dhabi relied upon in Darfur are now contracting and coming under scrutiny, and that the scene no longer operates in its favor as it once did.
Then came the shock from Istanbul, revealing long-buried lines of tension between Ankara and Abu Dhabi. Despite attempts at reconciliation and rebuilding relations through trade and investments, the arrest of three suspects accused of gathering sensitive information on Turkish officials brought long-standing questions about Emirati intelligence activity in Turkey back to the forefront. While Turkish authorities quickly pressured the media to remove direct references to Abu Dhabi, the official backtrack does not erase the fact that suspicions within Turkey’s security apparatus about the Emirati role are longstanding.
The broader regional context further clarifies the picture. Ankara has accused the UAE for years of orchestrating operations targeting its influence, from the alleged financing of elements involved in the coup attempt to efforts to undermine Turkey’s role in Libya, Syria, and Sudan.
Taken together, these events paint a complete picture: the gradual collapse of the “immunity” narrative upon which Abu Dhabi built its regional project. Capitals that once ignored sensitive files are now speaking up, security developments are spilling into the public sphere, and yesterday’s allies are raising their level of caution and oversight. Abu Dhabi can no longer continue to play the role of the “unaccountable power” while files accumulate around it—from Sudan to Turkey, across the Horn of Africa, and up to the Libyan coasts.
From my podium, I see… I see the file opened, the record exposed, and international pressure taking a clearer and firmer shape. What was once whispered about behind closed doors has become material for reports and potential decisions. Abu Dhabi can no longer hide behind massive investments or flashy facades. The regional equation has changed, and those who thought themselves immune are now discovering that reckoning can arrive at any moment—and that the world is no longer what it was just a few years ago.
